Vasily Smyslov

Vasily Smyslov was the seventh world champion and arguably the best chess player of the 1950's. He was introspective, had a flexible style and regarded chess as an art form. Vasily Vasilyvich Smyslov was born in Moscow, Russia on March 24, 1921. Smyslov was taught to play chess at the age of six by his father who had studied chess under world champion contender Mikhail Chigorin. With the guidance of his father, the young Smyslov would study the games of Chigorin and all of the great masters. He was deeply influenced by the games of Alexander Alekhine, the moves of which he would play through many times over.

Smyslov began playing tournaments at the age of fourteen. He progressed steadily and by 1938, at the age of seventeen Vasily Smyslov won the USSR Junior Championship. Just two years later Smyslov competed in his first Soviet Championship. Amazingly, he finished in third place ahead of defending champion and eventual rival Mikhail Botvinnik. This impressive result qualified Smyslov for the "Absolute Championship of the USSR". The tournament held in 1941, featured all of the best Soviet Grandmasters. Among this strong field Smyslov again placed in third place behind Paul Keres and tournament winner Mikhail Botvinnik. Already displaying a well-rounded style, at the young age of 20 Vasily Smyslov had established himself as one of the best players in the world.

During the first half of the 1940's World War II ravaged Europe and prevented any major international tournaments from being organized. Smyslov continued to train with Soviet masters. After the war ended, international chess tournaments resumed. After some mixed results, Smyslov was back in world class form within a year. In 1946 at the Howard Staunton Memorial tournament Vasily Smyslov finished in an impressive third place behind soon-to-be world champion Mikhail Botvinnik and former world champion Max Euwe. When Alexander Alekhine died it left a vacancy for world chess championship. A tournament was organized to determine who would become the next champion. Smyslov was one of the five players selected to compete in the 1948 World Chess Championship. Smyslov would again put forth an impressive performance finishing second to World Champion Mikhail Botvinnik.

Vasily Smyslov started off the 1950's by making it on FIDE's inaugural list of International Grandmasters. He continued to finish consistently near the top in just about every tournament he competed in, and gained the reputation of the game's best endgame player of the day. He set his sights on becoming the world champion. By winning the Candidates Tournament in 1953, Smyslov earned the opportunity to do so. The World Championship Match against Mikhail Botvinnik was played in Moscow in 1954. The match was dead even throughout and resulted in a final 12 to 12 tie, which by FIDE rules meant that Botvinnik retained his title. In 1957, Smyslov would again challenge his rival Mikhail Botvinnik for the Championship. This time Smyslov would win 12 ½ to 9 ½ and fulfill his dream, and in doing so become the seventh world chess champion. Botvinnik was entitled to a rematch that took place one year later in 1958. In the rematch, Botvinnik would narrowly win and reclaim his crown. Smyslov would never again hold the title of world chess champion.

Despite being world champion for only a year, Vasily Smyslov was arguably the best player in the decade of the 1950's. His career will be forever linked to his rival and prolific world chess champion Mikhail Botvinnik. Botvinnik vs. Smyslov was the quintessential rivalry of the 1950's and along with Capablanca vs. Alekhine and Kasparov vs. Karpov one of the greatest rivalries in the chess history. Throughout the 1950's Smyslov and Botvinnik played three World Championship Matches. They each won a match, lost a match and tied a match. Smyslov actually had a better score than Botvinnik over the three matches 35 to 34.

Although Smyslov was never able to regain his world championship form, he lived a long life and continued to play competitive chess well into the 1990's. He eventually retired in 2001 and passed away on March 27, 2010. Although Smyslov is generally considered a positional player, he had a very versatile style. While he preferred quieter positions where he would simply outplay his opponents, he did not shy away from complications and tactical melees. He had deep convictions that chess was an art form. Because of his short reign as world champion, many of Smyslov's games are underappreciated and few realize how dominant he truly was throughout the 1950's.

Some famous Vasily Smyslov Quotes: "I have frequently stated that I regard chess as an art form, where creativity prevails over other factors."

"In my opinion, the style of a player should not be formed under the influence of any single great master"

"In chess as in life, man is his own dangerous opponent"

On Smyslov: "He is a universal player, who feels at home in any type of position" – Boris Spassky

"If a man be summed up by a single characteristic, then the most suitable one for Smyslov as a chess player would be – assurance" – Svetoszar Gilgoric

This collection of best games of Smyslov is probably the best collection of his annotated games in Descriptive Notation. This book was first published in 1958, the year that Vassily Smyslov was World Chess Champion.

GM Jesse Kraai reviews Vassily Smyslov, one of his favorite players of all time. Jesse claims studying Smyslov’s endgames helped him to become a Grandmaster.Vasily Vasilyevich Smyslov (Russian March 24, 1921 – 27 March 2010) was a Soviet and Russian Grandmaster and was World Chess Champion from 1957 to 1958. He was a Candidate for the World Chess Championship on eight times (1948, 1950, 1953, 1956, 1959, 1965, 1983, and 1985). Smyslov twice tied for first at the Soviet Championship (1949, 1955), and his total of 17 Chess Olympiad medals won is an all-time record. In five European Team Championships, Smyslov won ten gold medals.

GM Jesse Kraai reviews Vassily Smyslov, his favorite player of all time. Jesse claims studying Smyslov’s endgames helped him become a Grandmaster.Vasily Vasilyevich Smyslov (Russian March 24, 1921 – 27 March 2010) was a Soviet and Russian Grandmaster and was World Chess Champion from 1957 to 1958. He was a Candidate for the World Chess Championship on eight times (1948, 1950, 1953, 1956, 1959, 1965, 1983, and 1985). Smyslov twice tied for first at the Soviet Championship (1949, 1955), and his total of 17 Chess Olympiad medals won is an all-time record. In five European Team Championships, Smyslov won ten gold medals.

GM Jesse Kraai reviews Vassily Smyslov, his favorite player of all time. Jesse claims studying Smyslov’s endgames helped him become a Grandmaster.Vasily Vasilyevich Smyslov (Russian March 24, 1921 – 27 March 2010) was a Soviet and Russian Grandmaster and was World Chess Champion from 1957 to 1958. He was a Candidate for the World Chess Championship on eight times (1948, 1950, 1953, 1956, 1959, 1965, 1983, and 1985). Smyslov twice tied for first at the Soviet Championship (1949, 1955), and his total of 17 Chess Olympiad medals won is an all-time record. In five European Team Championships, Smyslov won ten gold medals.

GM Jesse Kraai reviews Vassily Smyslov, one of his favorite players of all time. Jesse claims studying Smyslov’s endgames helped him to become a Grandmaster.Vasily Vasilyevich Smyslov (Russian March 24, 1921 – 27 March 2010) was a Soviet and Russian Grandmaster and was World Chess Champion from 1957 to 1958. He was a Candidate for the World Chess Championship on eight times (1948, 1950, 1953, 1956, 1959, 1965, 1983, and 1985). Smyslov twice tied for first at the Soviet Championship (1949, 1955), and his total of 17 Chess Olympiad medals won is an all-time record. In five European Team Championships, Smyslov won ten gold medals.

Vasily Smyslov was a Soviet and Russian grandmaster, and was World Chess Champion from 1957 to 1958. He redefined chess post WW2. He was a candidate for the World Chess on eight occasions. Smyslov twice tied for first at the Soviet Championship (1949, 1955), and his total of 17 Chess Olympiad medals won is an all-time record. In five European Team Championships, Smyslov won ten gold medals. He is known for his fantastic endgames, very dynamic sense over the board and intuitive sense of harmony. Modern champions that follow his style are Carlsen and Kramnik. Here the masters of ChessLecture review his brilliance and style in a series of stunning games.

The Big Book of World Chess Championships 46 Title Fights - From Steinitz to Carlsen

Catalog Code: B0169NIC

German chess journalist Andre Schulz tells the stories and the history of the World Chess Championship fights in fascinating detail: the historical and social backgrounds, the prize money and the rules, the seconds and other helpers, and the psychological wars on and off the board.